From the Tropics to Taranaki
Having lived all over the world, the owners of 202 Heta Rd had plenty of ideas on what they wanted their new build to look like. With near-dizzying vistas across the forest-clad valleys of Merrilands, a sneak peek of the sea on one side and a mountain backdrop on the other, Belinda and Hamish Brown have finally found home. “We’ve thrown away the boxes the appliances came in,” Belinda confirms. “We’re staying.” It’s a welcome statement for the family of four who has spent the last 15 years in South East Asia. The couple met in London and moved to Brisbane before starting a family in Kuala Lumpur. The latter location was where the family oversaw the New Plymouth build from, something they were surprisingly not rattled about. “We were either naïve, stupid or trusting, I’m not sure which,” Hamish jokes. “We took a lot of faith in the fact that New Plymouth is a town in which reputation is everything.” An appreciation for the natural is evident from first glance. Outside, the house ...